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UNTED STATES PATENT GFFTCE,

C. C. REED, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO C. C. REED ANDWM. S. REINERT.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING RATANS, 85o.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,627, dated October 2, 1855.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES C. REED, of thecity and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Machines for Splitting and Planing Canesfor Umbrellas, Parasols, and other Purposes, which is described asfollows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, makingpart of this specification.

Figure l, is a top or birds eye view ofthe improved machine. Fig. 2, isa vertical section through the center of ditto, at the line m fr of Fig.l. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section of ditto, the positions of the cogwheels being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 4, is a vertical section ofditto, at the line 0, o, of Fig. l. Fig. 5, is a section of the upperplate, and flexible supports in which the grooved guide roller turns.

Similar letters in the several figures refer to corresponding parts.

The nature of this invention and improvement consists in combining withthe upright rollers, foi` feeding and guiding the ratan, or othermaterial from which the canes are formed, to the cutters, an adjustabletable or plate, capable of being raised and lowered to conform at alltimes with the grooves in the said upright rollers; and also inarranging at the sides of the machine horizontal adjustable bars, sosituated in relation to the flexible portions of the springs, whichpress the upright feeding and guiding rollers together, as to enablethem to be graduated to any desired distance from the springs, tocorrespond with the thickness of the ratan passing between the rollers,so as to arrest the outward movement of the lower and more flexibleportions of the springs, when the rollers have moved from each other,the required distance to admit the ratan between them, thus preventingone of them from moving farther from the center of the table or platethan the other, and yet allow a slight and strong elastic movement tothe springs, above the bars, after they strike said bars, to enable therollers to give to the inequalities on either side of the ratan, as itpasses between the same.

To enable others skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The main portion of the frame A is made of a rectangular form of iron orother suitable material, secured to horizontal timbers B, fixed to thefloor of the building in which the machine is placed and consists of twoupright side plates connected together at near their lower edges by ahorizontal plate, and at their upper edges by horizontal plates or bars,C, secured to the upper edges of the upright plates by bolts at theirforked ends and so formed as to serve as guides for movable slide platesD, having half boxes at their ends, in which, and similar half boxesformed in the parts of said plates or bars between the prongs, theupright roller shafts E, turn, said sliding plates moving between theV-shaped edges of the prongs, after the manner of the ordinary lathesliding rest, as represented in Fig. 2, and by dotted lines in Fig. l.The lower ends of the upright roller shafts E, turn in steps F, securedon the upper surface of the horizontal plate Gr, of the frame, beingprovided at near their upper ends with shoulders below the boxes, forpreventing them from rising from their steps. The rollers H, are twelvein number, and are arranged in pairs one pair to each forked plate, soas to bring them immediately opposite each other, with their peripheriesalmost touching and two pair to be in close proximity at the center, andtwo pair in the same relation to each other near the front and backparts of the machine.

The rollers I-I, revolve in openings, in the upper horizontal adjustableplateA G, forming the top of the machine, sufliciently large to allowthem to move sidewise, when the ratan or cane is being drawn betweenthem, and the front and center pairs have grooves formed in theirperipheries, corresponding with the form of the ratan or cane embracedbetween them, immediately cn a line with the upper surface of the plateG, which is likewise grooved so as to assist in keeping the cane orratan from moving out of a straight line in its passage over the surfaceof the said plate. This plate G, is secured above the main portion ofthe frame, by means of vertical screw bolts, fastened to the ends and atintermediate points of the upper edges of the side plates of said mainportions of the frame, and passing through openingsin the plate Gr,being provided with nuts above and below the plate, for the purpose ofenabling said plate to be raised and lowered to adjust the groove in itsupper surface, to the grooves in the rollers, and secure it firmly whenthus adjusted. rl`his adjustment of the upper surface of the plate G tothe grooves in the rollers, is not only desirable at the time of puttingthe machine together, but is essentially necessary at subsequentperiods,of the use of the machine, when the steps, and lower ends of the uprightshafts E, turning in the same wear to such a degree, as to cause thegrooves in the rollers to descend below the point they should assume inrela tion to the groove in the upper surface of the said adjustableplate G.

In addition to the advantages here set forth, it may be stated that thiscombination of the adjustable plate or table G, with the upright rollersH, admits of the former being raised and lowered to cause the groove inthe same, (the lower point of bearing for the cane) to conform with thedifferent thicknesses of cane or ratan, so as to embrace the samefirmly, no matter what may be its thickness, on three of its parts,namely-on the upper parts of its two sides, by the upper parts of thegrooves in the rollers, and on its lower part by the bottom of thegroove in the plate G, the height of this latter in relation to theedges of the upper bits or knives, being so regulated by the adjustablecharacter of the plate G, as to cause the proper sized shavings orpeelings for cane seat chairs to be cut from the same, by the first setof bits or cutters, and the cane to be reduced to a uniform size forumbrellas or parasols, by the second set of bits or cutters; or in theevent of small canes or ratan being dressed for parasols or sun shades,where it is desirable to have the lower rounded parts exactly fit withinthe groove in the plate G, and a different and more delicate set of bitsor cutters employed, this plate G, with its bits or cutters, may beentirely removed from the machine, andA another containing these parts,may be substituted and adjusted to the grooves in the rollers H, so asto cause the upper parts of the same to embrace the upper side parts ofthese smaller canes or ratans, and press their lower rounded partsfirmly in the groove of the plate G.

Horizontal rollers I, are arranged between the two pairs at the frontand back part of the plate, and the two pair in the center, whichrollers turn in sliding boxes, arranged between upright slides I, havingspiral springs between them and pressing upon said boxes so as to enablethe rollers to yield to theA inequalities of the cane, or ratan andpress upon the same sufficiently to keep it in the groove, in the plateG, the front and center rollers H, I, being grooved to correspond withthe upper surface of the same. The slides D, are pressed inward,

so as to keep the boxes on their ends, at all times against the uprightshafts, E, and

enable t-he rollers H, to be moved from each other to receive the canebetween them, by means of springs K, secured at their lower ends to theside plates of the frame, andv having set screws at their upper ends,which press against the ends of the slides D, said springs K, beingprevented from moving beyond a certain point by horizontal bars L,secured to the sides of the frame, at a sufficient distance from thesame to allow the springs to yield to the required degree, and yet serveto keep the rollers H, equidis tant from the center line over which thecane or ratan moves.

The bars L, are at all times kept parallel with the side plates of themain portion of the frame, and are secured in their positions byhorizontal screw bolts, projecting at right angles from uprightv plates,secured t-o the said side plates of the frame, which screw bolts passthrough openings in the bars L, and have nuts screwed on them outsidethe same, to enable the said bars to be moved nearer to, or farther fromthe side plates and springs K to correspond with the thickness of theratan to be dressed. These side bars L, are situated a short distanceabove a point midway between the upper and lower parts of the flexibleportions of the springs, in such a manner as to arrest the outwardmovement of the lower, or more flexible portions of the springs K, whenthey have yielded with the rollers, suiiiciently to admit the ratanbetween said rollers (the bars L being previously graduated by the nuts,to correspond with the thickness of the ratan as before stated) and thuskeep the said rollers equi-distant from the center of the groove, in thecenter of the adjustable table or plate vG, during the progress of theratan between the same, while at the same time, a slight but stiffelastic movement is allowed to the upper part of the springs K, to allowthe rollers to yield to the slight inequalities frequently existing onthe sides of the ratan.

The cutter or bits M, for taking off the first shavings or peelings fromthe upper part of the ratan are secured between the front and center setof rollers H, to inclined flexible bars N, secured at their upper endsby bolts and nuts to a semicircular beveled bar O, fastened to the upperplate G, immediately over the third pair of rollers H, and having agroove or slot formed in the curved part, parallel to its edges, throughwhich and through slots in the flexible bars the bolts pass, so as toenable said boxes to be moved and secured to any part of the curved barand their lower ends raised or lowered to suit any thickness ofr ratanor cane, or as occasion may require. The spring bars N, are enlarged attheir lower ends and are perforated somewhat after the manner of a planestock, so as to press against the upper portion of the cane, or ratan,and besides assisting to hold it firmly while being cut, regulating thethickness of the shavings or peelings taken off. The cutters, or bits M,are secured on top of these spring bars N, by means of clamps P,surrounding them and the bars N, pressed upon the cutters or bits, byset screws in such a manner, as to enable them to be removed forsharpening or for other purpose, and raised and lowered over the surfaceof the bars, to bring their edges to the proper relation to the lowersurfaces of the enlarged ends of said bars, to regulate their depth ofcut. The second cutters or bits Q, are secured in a stock fastened tothe upper surface of the horizontal plate G, between the center and backset of rollers H, in the ordinary or most approved manner. They arearranged in an angular and inclined position in openings in the stock R,so as to bring their edges in suoli relation to each other as to cut orplane the top and sides of the cane parallel and at right angles, as itis drawn or forced pastthe same, and are secured in the stock by setscrews, which enable them to be detached from the stock to sharpen them,or for other purpose, or raised and lowered to regulate their depth ofcut and consequently the size of the cane formed. Immediately in frontof these cutters or bits Q, is arranged a grooved roller S, turning inboxes formed in the extremity of elastic spring bars T, secured to thetop of the upper plate for holding the ratan or cane firmly, on the saidplate, near the edges of the cutters or bits.

The upright rollers H, receive their motion from a. horizontal shaft U,having pulleys U', which are geared to the main driving power, near oneend, and a bevel cog wheel V, at its opposite end which meshes in gearwith a similar bevel cog wheel 1N, secured near the lower end of anupright shaft, on the upper end of which is a cog wheel X, which meshesin gear with cog wheels Y, near the lower end of two of the center setof upright roller shafts, which in turn mesh in gear with correspondingcog wheels Y', near the lower end of the upright roller shafts,immediately opposite` and with larger cog wheels Z, meshing in gear withcog wheels l, near the lower ends of two of the end set of uprightroller shafts, which end set of shafts being geared together by cogwheels in a similar manner, to the center set, receive a correspondingmotion when power is applied to the machine.

The operation of this machine is as follows: Motion being communicatedto the several moving parts, in the manner just stated the pieces ofratan or cane are successively introduced between the front pair ofrollers H, the springs K, yielding and allowing them to move from eachother sufficiently to receive and embrace the same between the groovesin them, and are forced under the first yielding roller I, and betweenthe next pair of rollers H, and under and between the edges of the firstelastic cutters or bits M, which take the uniform shavings, or peelingsfrom their upper surfaces, required for cane seat chairs, or for otherpurposes, and between the next or center set of rollers H, and under therollers I, S, and under and between the second cutters, or bits Q, whichcut or plane the top and sides of the ratan or cane, to the proper formrequired, and they are forced or drawn between the last, or back set ofrollers H, thoroughly planed-the several rollers H, I, S, serving tohold the ratans or canes in a straight line and preventing them fromtwisting to either the right or left in their passage between and underthem, and thus enabling them to be out perfectly straight, withoutregard to their original inequality or surface or bend, or twist, andthe two sets of cutters or bits enabling them to be cut with much lesspower, and greater facility, besides obtaining a set of shavings orpeelings of uniform thickness, width and length, from them, suitable forchair seats, or for other purpose, at the same time that they are planedwithout injury to the body of the cane, an object never beforeaccomplished; for in the machines heretofore employed for splitting orplaning canes, the body of the cane was wholly or in part destroyed orinjured in stripping the shavings or peelings for chairs from it, or inthe event of it being subsequently planed it was impossible to form itto the proper shape for a practicable purpose.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of theimproved machine for stripping and planing umbrella and other canes,what I claim therein as new is,

l. The combination of the adjustable table or plate G, with the uprightfeeding` and guide rollers H, for enabling the upper surface of saidtable or plate, to be gradun ated to the grooves in the rollers,substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. I claim arranging the adjustable side bars L, in such relation to theupper and lower parts of the flexible portions of the springs K, as toenable them to be graduated, so as to arrest the outward movement of thelower flexible portions of said springs, at such points as to allow therollers to yield sufliciently to receive and embrace the ratan betweenthem, and yet prevent one of them from moving farther from the centerthan the other, so as to keep the ratan at all times in the centergroove, and

at the same time allow a slight and stiff signed my name before twosubscribing elastic movement to the upper portions of Witnesses. thesprings, above the bars, to allow eithei1 of the rollers to yield to theinequalities on C' C REED 5 eit-hei` side of the raten as herein fullyset Witnesses:

forth. EDMUND MAHER,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto CHARLES D. FREEMAN.

